A New Perspective on Twitter Hashtag Use: Diffusion of Innovation Theory

摘要

Twitter is a fast growing real-time social media tool. AsrnTwitter evolves, more and more people are partaking inrnsharing what is happening around the world through variousrnTwitter applications. Hashtag use has become a uniquerntagging convention to help associate Twitter messages withrncertain events or contexts. Prefixed by a # symbol with arnkeyword, a Twitter hashtag serves as a bottom-up userproposedrntagging convention. It also embodies userrnparticipation in the process of hashtag innovation,rnespecially as it pertains to information organization tasks.rnDiffusion of innovation (DoI) is a theory that helps tornexplain the adoption process of an innovation by modelingrnits entire life cycle according to the aspects ofrncommunications and human information interactions.rnHence, diffusion theory offers valuable insights intorninterface design that supports Twitter hashtag use andrnaccess. It also assists in evaluating hashtag life cycles andrnthus offering information required for decision-making, inrnregard to hashtag management.